the rum soaked fist: internal martial arts forum

Hi,

Master Strider Clark will be teaching a Shi Style Tongbei seminar in Pittsburgh suburb this July.

Here are 2 videos of Strider demonstrating some basic skills of Tongbei.





This is a very rare opportunity. Although it's one of the 6 biggest martial art groups in Northern China, Tongbei, specially Baiyuan Tongbei of Beijing's famous Ox Street, is almongst the most secretive groups in Chinese martial art. That, plus its intimidating fighting reputation, earned it the nickname "Black/Dark Fist" 黑拳. http://tongbei.homestead.com/History.html

Tongbei's training system has often been compared with that of Western boxing. Just a few basic skills, with lots of conditioning (its Iron Palm conditioning is famous for NOT decreasing the sensitivity of hands). Very few forms. In fact many of its most famous masters only knows one or two forms. But the clever combinations of its basic skills and application ideas are almost endless.

Highly recommended.

Details of the seminar:

I'd be there in a heartbeat if I was anywhere near. Hope it's well attended.

Cheers!

S.

Tom wrote:That is really tempting. Thanks for posting, wuyizidi.

You're very welcome.

Tongbei is so under-appreciated in this country. Everyone who has ever seen it is instantly addicted.

A big part of it is the special iron-palm conditioning I think. When you cross hands with Strider, he just sweep aside your hand/arm so easily. Until you see it in person you don't appreciate how much lack of conditioning of our contact point is holding us back power-wise. His movements are very quick and light, often small, but you feel like you've been hit by a sandbag (soft but very heavy). And if you make contact with him on the forearm bone, forget it, after one or two hits you don't want to make contact again. You'll just be like "how can I fight this guy?" It really makes you realize how in the old days everyone, including internal guys, must've done iron palm conditioning.

Oh man I wish I could go! Pittsburgh is a long way from Canberra though.

Yeah - more tongbei would be fun (I learned a bit, but never really understood it). Too bad Pittsburgh is really far away!